How can I compete?

Each participating country sends 1-2 teams of four contestants each. The methods of choosing these contestants and composing the teams differ from country to country; in most cases a country’s contestants are chosen from the winners of their national Linguistics Olympiad. Check below to find out how contestants are chosen in your country.

What do I need to do to prepare?

No prior knowledge is necessary to compete at the IOL: every problem is self-contained.
The best preparation possible is to attempt as many past problems as you can. Start with the samples if you’re new to IOL problems and when you’re ready take a stab at our past problems. If you’ve done all those and can’t get enough, the national olympiads. Below also keep archives of past problems.

What if my country doesn’t participate?

If you are a national organization interesting in sending a team next year: contact us . You can also write us here if you have any questions or comments regarding the IOL.

If you are a student interested in competing: We might know teachers in your country who are willing to help you assemble a team. Ask a teacher or parent to contact us and we’ll tell them all the details of contacting your national organization, or starting a new one.